


The Curiousness of Books

by LadyBrooke



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/F, Get Together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:54:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24365377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyBrooke/pseuds/LadyBrooke
Summary: Cho finds Luna in the park, taking notes on her newest creature finds.Somehow, they end up discussing Luna’s newest book and Cho’s job.
Relationships: Cho Chang/Luna Lovegood
Comments: 24
Kudos: 20
Collections: Femmefest 2020





	The Curiousness of Books

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nosignofwings](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nosignofwings/gifts).



“Luna?” 

Luna turned at the sound of her name, shoving the quill she had been using to scrawl notes on a scrap of borrowed paper behind her ear.

“Cho,” she said, recognizing the other woman, even though they had not seen each other since those first awful days following the Battle at Hogwarts. At least, she thought, both of them looked far better than they had then, looking around at the carnage and destruction at Hogwarts and wondering how that had happened. 

“It’s good to see you.” Cho stepped quickly forward, dodging around the other people in the park, until finally she stood in front of the bench. “I saw the news about your newest book - quite a success, convincing those old wizards at the press to print a book that isn’t just repeating the same information from our school days.” 

Luna laughed, shaking her head at the words. “Hermione had a role in that, though she hates for anyone to know about it. But she said that it was wrong to have knowledge not be available to the public, and there are few people who can stand up to Hermione when she is determined.” 

Cho laughed too, at that. “Hermione has always been too determined for her own good.”

“She would be glad to hear from you,” Luna said. 

Cho shook her head, resignation written across her face. “She and I speak to each other twice a year at the Ministry. All we do is awkwardly avoid speaking about Cedric.”

Ten years ago, Luna would not have been so direct. 

Ten years ago, Luna had only buried her mother, not countless friends as well as countless strangers who had come to their aid. 

“Cedric would not have wanted you to mourn him forever.” 

Cho took a deep breath, before she finally forced a small smile onto her face. “I haven’t, not really. Just with people who only see me as a reminder of what happened, and not for what I have done now.”

Luna looked at the bench beside her, and then raised her hand and swept her books into the bag left lying open in front of the bench. “Sit down and tell me what you have been doing, in that case.” 

Cho smiled, taking the seat and putting her own bag down next to Luna’s, dark blue fabric with stars contrasting with the beat up brown canvas of Luna’s field bag. “Currently I work for Flourish and Blotts in orders, which is how I saw the news about your book and came to read it myself.”

“Do you like it there?” Luna allowed herself to focus more on Cho, after a quick glance to make sure none of the creatures she was waiting for had returned. 

“If you need to work,” Cho began to say, hand moving to grab the strap of her bag once more. 

“None of them are here at the moment,” Luna interrupted. “So long as you understand that I may need to pay attention to those around us at any point.” 

Cho nodded. “That is fine. I like it well enough. There are other things that would be more challenging, but I like having a role in which books reach the shelves.”

“I hope my book did not reach the shelves solely because you know me,” Luna said. 

“No,” Cho exclaimed. “I would never - some of our other classmates have published books, and they are not on the shelves because they did not meet our standards for how we utilize our space, though they’re available for owl order. Your book was revolutionary enough in the field, and you are reputable enough that we were not risking another Lockhart. Therefore, your book went on the shelves.” 

“I am glad,” Luna said, smiling again at those words. “I had hoped that it was not merely because I was a hero of the war, or any other reasoning in that vein.”

“No, though I suppose some of those who buy the book do buy it because of your past. But it was placed on the display shelf because I thought it was a significant contribution to its field.” Cho shrugged as she finished. “I do not allow any books to go there that do not meet the standards, especially after Lockhart’s activities.” 

Luna grinned. “Good.” 

Later, both of them would only half remember where the conversation went from there, only that they had whittled away most of the afternoon in discussion of books and jobs, and the pain that had come from living through the war as they had. Neither of them had quite managed to move on from the war entirely, though it had become less of an overwhelming factor. 

It was only when Luna grabbed Cho’s hand and was sketching the sight of her last major field trip onto Cho’s skin in blue ink that either of them realized how close they had moved to each other. 

“I-“ Cho flushed. “Thank you, Luna.”

“You’re welcome,” Luna said, shifting back slightly on the bench. 

“I did not mean you had to move.” Cho raised her hand, looking at the trees sketched on it. “I did not wish to make you uncomfortable.”

Luna shifted closer again. “I was not uncomfortable.” 

“Good. I am glad.” 

They were silent for a moment, before Cho looked down at her watch and shook her head. 

“Would you like to have tea with me tomorrow?” Cho asked, leaning forward to pick up her bag from the ground. “I’ve enjoyed our conversation, and would like to get to know you better, but I have to see my mother tonight.” 

Luna nodded, getting ready to answer. And then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a shadow on the ground. 

Before she could make her apologies, or grab her notebook to make notes, Cho was already holding out a sheet of paper. “Send an owl if your newest find keeps you busy.”

Luna nodded again. Perhaps, she thought, this could become something else for the both of them, if tea went well.


End file.
